At the Town Hall on Tuesday afternoon a further step was taken in the process of reducing the number of licensed Chinese houses in the Settlement. As was explained to those present by Mr. S. Fessenden, Chairman of the Watch Committee, one of the recommendations contained in the report of the' Special Vice Committee, which report was adopted at the last annual meeting of ratepayers, was that brothels -should be licensed with a view to their elimination in 'a period of five years, by annual Brawings.
Yesterday the first draw was made, and 864 numbers went into the drum. Of these, 174, or oneifth, were to be drawn in accordance with the scheme, and a similar proportion of the licences will be cancelled as drawn during the next Your years.
The people concerned had had three months' notice of the event, and about 100 of them turned up to watch the proceedings, a keenly interested group _representing: various classes of the trade or profession. Mr. Fessenden presided. and others on the platform included his Honoyr Judge Skinner Turner, Mr. N. O, Liddell (Secretary of the Municipal Council), Mr. E. S. Benbow Rowe (assistant Becreta Mr. K. J. McEuen {Commissioner of Police), and a number of ladies and gentlemen interested in the work of the Commission and Special Vice Com mittee.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.